Colton Aplara places eighth at state

DES MOINES ? On Saturday night, Mt. Pleasant?s Colton Aplara celebrated his first-ever trip to the state wrestling tournament by taking his place on the podium.

Aplara lost his first match of the tournament, but came back with a win in the first round of consolation matches on Thursday.

He then defeated Jordan Rouse Ankeny on Friday afternoon by a 4-3 decision to advance in the tournament.

The 220-pounder?s win got him into a third-round consolation match.

On Friday evening, the Mt. Pleasant junior wrestled Andrew Netolicky (Cedar Rapids Prairie, 40-7) and lost by decision, 7-4.

That loss put him in the seventh/eighth place match, where he lost by fall to Brett Haas of Dubuque Hempsted to take eighth place in Class 3A at 220 pounds.

Aplara finished his season with a record of 28-12.